The invention occurs as an improvement in liquid/vapor energy cycles where water or some other liquid is heated to produce steam or a corresponding vapor that powers a transducer to extract energy from the sytem. Such cycles usually use a condenser and associated equipment for condensing the vapor output from the transducer and pumping the condensate back into the broiler.
The invention involves appreciation of the usefulness of a vortex tube in such a liquid/vapor energy cycle. Vortex tubes are generally known for dividing room-temperature air into hot and cold portions, with the cold portion used for refrigeration purposes. The capacity of a vortex tube to divide a gas, vapor, or liquid and gas mixture into hot and cold portions is used advantageously in energy cycles for simplicity, effectiveness, and improved thermal efficiency.